Tiger Hawk football home 5 times

By Jerry Wadian
jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com

The Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) recently released the football schedules for the next two years of district play.

North Fayette Valley will be competing in Class 2A District 4.

The schedule for 2016-2017 is below. The schedule for 2017-2018 will have the same teams in the same order, but reversing where they play.

Warrior senior Landers Kuboushek controls his opponent during the semifinal round of the 2016 Iowa State Wrestling Tournament in Des Moines. Kuboushek went on to pick up the 9-0 major decision in the match and eventually finished second in the Class 1A 195 pound bracket. (Kris Van Sickle photo)

Kuboushek grabs silver medal

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

Landers Kuboushek, South Winneshiek High School’s all-time wins leader, capped off his impressive Warrior wrestling career with a runner-up finish at the 2016 Iowa State Wrestling Tournament in Des Moines over the weekend. 

Kuboushek, competing in the Class 1A 195 pound bracket, fell to Slade Sifuentes of Lake Mills during Saturday night’s main event at Wells Fargo Arena.

“I am very proud of Landers and all of his accomplishments as a Warrior wrestler,” said South Winn head coach Jake Elsbernd after the tournament. “He left his mark on our program and set the bar extremely high for his teammates and future South Winn wrestlers.”

Warrior guard Jordan Poshusta pushes the ball upcourt in recent action for the South Winneshiek girls’ basketball team. Tuesday, Feb. 16, the Warriors were eliminated from postseason play after losing to a very strong North Linn squad. (Zakary Kriener photo)

Warriors fail to tame Lynx

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

The South Winneshiek girls’ basketball team continued its postseason run Tuesday night, Feb. 16, as it traveled to Troy Mills to take on the North Linn Lynx.

The upset-minded Warriors, coming off consecutive wins over West Central and Postville, were outmatched by the Class 1A foe Lynx, which downed the Warriors, 68-22.

West Centrals Collin Kane drives hard to the basket for an open look at the basket in a 63-49 loss to the Tripoli Panthers on Thursday, Feb. 18. The loss ousted the Blue Devils from postseason play in the first-round of the District playoffs. 

Tripoli ends Blue Devils' season

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

A cold night from the floor ousted the West Central Blue Devils boys’ basketball team from the District playoffs. The Blue Devils fell on the road to the Tripoli Panthers, 63-49, Thursday for a first-round exit.

West Central shot 32 percent from the floor (18-of-55), but made just 5-of-24 3-pointers on the night. In contrast, Tripoli shot 47 percent from the floor (21-of-45) while making just four 3-pointers.

The Turkey Valley girls' basketball team is headed to State after beating 12th-ranked Northwood-Kensett, 67-53, Monday night in Charles City.

Trojans headed to State

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

The top-ranked Turkey Valley girls’ basketball team officially punched its ticket to the 2016 State Basketball Tournament next week in Des Moines.

The Trojans, who will be making their first-ever appearance in the State Tournament, beat No. 12-ranked Northwood-Kensett, 67-53, Monday night in Charles City to advance.

Bowlers end season

By Jerry Wadian
jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com

The North Fayette Valley bowling teams ended their first-ever bowling season Tuesday (Feb. 16) at the Substate Tournament at the Super Bowl at Forest City.

The team started the day on a down note as the academic ineligible list came in that day, and three girls and one boy could not make the trip.

“That hurt us,” acknowledged head coach Chris DeBack. “It was mentally upsetting and left the boys with no margin of error for a bad game, and with only four girls available they did not have a full team.”

 With only four girls, the TigerHawks finished last in the six-team field. Charles City won the team title with a 1779 in the individual competition and a total of 2613 after the Baker Round.

NFV senior Kedrick Bemiss splits two MFL/MM defenders on his way to making the final shot of the District semifinal Thursday in Dyersville. Unfortunately for the TigerHawks, his shot hit the rim and bounced away, sending NFV to a 40-39 season-ending defeat. (Jerry Wadian photo)

TigerHawk boys lose by one

By Jerry Wadian
jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com

The North Fayette Valley and MFL/MM boys’ basketball teams met for the third time this season Thursday night in Dyersville. The first two contests were in the UIC, and the Bulldogs won both by a total of four points.

The final conflict was in the Class 2A District 7 semifinal, and the game was as thrilling as any this season.

Nick Baumler used his signature outside single move to control the leg of J.J. Clark during their third-round match at last week’s State Wrestling Tournament in Des Moines. The match featured the top two wrestlers in Class 2A at 182. Baumler won for NFV, 10-7, but injured an ankle with 30 seconds left in the match. Wrestling on one leg, the senior lost in the finals, but won his second consecutive silver medal, something most wrestlers would love to have on their resumes. (Kris Van Sickle photo) 

One-legged Baumler wins silver

By Jerry Wadian
jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com

The 2016 State Wrestling Tournament was a real roller-coaster ride for the three qualifying NFV wrestlers, their coaches, teamates, and their fans.

Three TigerHawk wrestlers qualified to compete. Nick Baumler (182) earned his second consecutive silver medal. Jared Kerr (145) won his opening-round match before falling to the top-ranked wrestler. Jordan Baumler (220) lost to a number-one seed and went to UTB (Ultimate Tie Breaker) in the second round.

Nick Baumler was on a mission after losing in the finals last year. He came to Des Moines the number one-ranked wrestler with a record of 39-0.

Warrior 195-pounder Landers Kuboushek picked up his 150^th career victory Saturday at the District Wrestling Tournament in Jesup. The senior also punched his ticket to the State Wrestling Meet in Des Moines, thanks to a pair of wins by fall over his opponents. (Zakary Kriener photo)

Kuboushek headed to State

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

South Winneshiek senior Landers Kuboushek is headed for the State Wrestling Tournament in Des Moines this week after he pinned his way to a 195 pound District title Saturday in Jesup.

The Warrior leader pinned Dylan Wright of Maquoketa Valley in the first round of the tournament and followed it up with a win by fall over East Buchanan’s Griffin Cabalka in the championship match.